May 6, 2012

40 Favorite Muppet Show Skeches and Songs, Part 2

Michael Wermuth, Jr. - I'm back again with the next ten of my favorite clips from The Muppet Show. Don't forget to check out Part 1 first so you're all caught up!

21. “You're Lookin' at Country” Episode 308: Loretta Lynn
The episode with Loretta Lynn is a great episode. I like the different setting of a railroad station instead of the theater, and although I'm not a big country fan, I do like Loretta's numbers here. This song, with Loretta backed by Lubbock Lou and His Jughuggers (and Sweetums watching in the background) is a good opener to a great episode (okay, so the episode-speciffic opening is really the opener, but it didn't make this list).

22. “The Rhyming Song” Episode 308: Loretta Lynn
From the same episode, Kermit accidentally leaves the area when setting up an office in a car that Gonzo mistakenly told him was out-of-order, quickly putting Scooter in charge, and Scooter puts on "The Rhyming Song" when the rest of the cast--Fozzie, Link, and Annie Sue--aren't even ready. So we get a funny song about rhyming which comically does not include any rhymes at all! This was one of the few songs written especially for the show. In fact, Frank Oz wrote the song!

23. Muppet Sports: Wig Racing Episode 310: Marissa Berensen
The first and my favorite of the Muppet Sports segments, Louis Kazagger does his first-ever coverage of wig racing, and interviews one of the trainers, who doesn't call it a derby and calls his wig Grease Lightning, not because it's speedy but because it's greasy. In fact, the interview has many clever puns, and I like that the segment focuses more on the interview than the race. In fact, we never even see which wig wins the race.

24. “Baby It’s Me” Episode 311: Raquel Welch
One of the shows sexiest numbers. I like how Raquel looked in that low-cut dress as she danced with a full-body spider in a stone-age setting. Sex-appeal aside, Raquel's vocals and the lyrics are really great, she shows she can dance well, and there's some good comedy here, with Raquel clubbing the spider at one point. Plus, you can't deny the amazing acrobatics and the athleticism of the spider as well... but who's really looking at that?

25. Kermit Interviews Marvin Suggs From Episode 311: Raquel Welch
Most of Marvin Suggs' appearances are great, but I chose this particular one, where we get to know him and the Muppaphones better. It's funny how the Muppaphones obviously fear Marvin, but are afraid to admit it. And it's funny when Marvin shouts at them to "SHUT UP!" It's a shame Kermit didn't do more segments with him interviewing the more obscure characters.

26. Pigs in Space: Dissolvatron Episode 314: Harry Belafonte
I had debated on which Pigs in Space segment to include, but I settled on this one in which Dr. Strangepork invents a gun, the Dissolvatron, which makes objects disappear and reappear in different places. When he uses it on Piggy and Link, they end up switching bodies and voices, and then it suddenly affects other characters without it being used: Strangepork switches bodies with Janice while Kermit and The Swedish Chef switch bodies.

27. Muppet Labs: Fireproof Paper Episode 318: Leslie Uggams
I had debated on which Muppet Labs segment to include. There are many great Muppet Labs segments--Gorilla Detector (episode 116), Bunsonium (episode 212), and Elevator Shoes (episode 301) were also considered. But I settled for a more underrated one. In this segment, Bunsen has invented fireproof paper. Beaker goes to test it out by setting fire on it, but in true comedy fashion it turns out that the paper is in fact not fireproof at all, as fire spreads to the lab.

28. Bear on Patrol: Impersonating an Officer Episode 318: Leslie Uggams
When it comes to Bear on Patrol segments, for me it's this one or the handcuff salesman sketch (episode 524), but I settled on this one. Fozzie arrests somebody for impersonating an officer, not by pretending to be a cop, but as a comedy impression. Link agrees he should be locked up, but the impersonator tricks Fozzie into locking himself in the cell, and Link, too busy typing a report to look the other way and thinks Fozzie's cries for help are just good impersonations.

29. “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” Episode 401: John Denver
I find most of this episode mediocre, but the opening number is great. It takes place on a battlefield, where many soldiers blast each other with cannons while wanting to be friends. It's sung mostly by Whatnots, but also features Zeke, Slim Wilson, and Crazy Harry. At the end Statler and Waldorf shoot at them from their balcony.

30. “I Get Around” Episode 415: Ann Murray
Two years before she was riding a motorcycle in The Great Muppet Caper, Miss Piggy rode a motorcycle in this number. She may be a road hog, but she shares the stage with Link Hogthrob and other pigs on motorcycles. This is one of those moments that often gets included in highlight reels as well as behind the scenes footage, and it's one of Miss Piggy's best numbers on the show.